Improvement in grain-conveyers



Patented Jan. 14,1879.

mmqsswi C11 uubflage UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVILLIAM THOMAS SMITH AND ERNEST ABSHAGEN, OF NEW LOTS, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAlN-CONVEYERS,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,351., dated January14, 1879; application iiled May 23, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, IVILLIAM Tnonas Snrrrr and Ennnsr Ansnncnu, both ofthe village of East New York, town of New Lots, county of Kings, Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGrain-Conveyors; and we hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

The nature of our invention, in the first part, consists in an air-tightvessel or chamber, having on its upper portion a supplyvalve for theadmission of grain conveyed thereto by means of exhausting the airconveyed in said air vessel or chamber, and suction pipe or hoseconnected therewith, and a number of exhausts on the lower portion ofthe chamber, in o"der to discharge the grain which has been formerlyadmitted to the same; and, in the second part, of a series ofpneumaticvalres attached to diaphra gins, and operated by compressedair, for the purpose of regulating one and the other; and, in the thirdwart, to register the quantity and weight of the grain which has beenelevated and transferred from one place to the other through theair-chamber.

Figure l in drawing represents a longitudinal vertical section of ourinvention. 2 is across-section of the diaphragm and valve. .laigs. 3 and:i show in detail the parts AA and l? B of Fig. 5 represents theexternal and sectional view of suctionpipe. Fig. 6 illustrates theexhaust-valves at the lower portion of the air-vessel. Fig. 7 representsa modification of the mode of opening and closing the valves at theupper and lower portion of the air-chamber,

A is an upright engine, to which the aircylinder attached, and operatedby the crankomic *tion 0. On the fly-whecl D is r, E, attached, whichoperates the movement of the piston-rod a of der, I

also a or up-and-d in g, through the upward movement of its piston, theair-chamber G and the herewith-connected suction pipes Z) I), andthrough the downward movement of its piston to increase the discharge ofthe grain in the air-chamber G and the herewithconnected suction-pipes hI), throng the series of exhaust-valves c 0 into the funnel d, fromwhich place the rain may be transferred to any point of the vessel orwarehouse, as the case may be.

The cylinder F is so arranged as to produce by the downward movement ofits piston, first, to close the supply-valves ff, and, second, to openthe exhaust-valves c c of the chamber Gr The pipe II forms theconnection between. the cylinder 13 and the chamber G.

The air-chamber G consists of two vesselsone outer casing, G, and theinner casing, G. The latter is suspended by means of strong elasticsprings I from the top of the outer casing, G", and is properly guidedthrough the rollers y y, attached to the inner casing, G.

In order to produce an effective air-tight chamber formed by the sidingsof the inner casing, G, the exhaust-valves c 0, when closed, and theinner side of the upper portion of the outer casing, G, and yet to givea swinging motion to the inner chamber, G, the upper per tion of thesaid air-chamber G is lined with a rubber cloth, g g, (see Figs. 3 and4,) in such a manner as to serve at the same time to keep suspended theinner casing, G, in common with the elastic spring I.

At that part where the air-pipe H enters the outer casing, G, aconnection is made of rub ber hose or other suitable yielding material,which passes through the rubber clot-h g into the air-chamber G, thuseffecting an air-tight compartment from the air-cylinder B hrough pipe Hto air-chamber G.

On the one side of the suspended chamber Gis attached the pointer orindicator J, which follows the upward and downward motions of the casingG, and indents or registers on the horizontal lines of the unwindingpaper o the register K the weight of each unit of quain "3, transferredinto the air chamber whenever a vacuum. has been created and a quantityof grain has been admitted to the same.

The oscillator L, being an extension of flap-like valve 0 c and gearingon the cogwheel Z, causes to partly revolve the samei'or the space ofone unit at each discharge of the grain. This revolving motion istransferred to the unwinding paper of the register K, thus causing thepointer or indicator to indent or register at the same time the uiantity{tilt weight of the transferred grain which passes through theair-chamber.

h is a deflector, protecting the mouth of the air-pipe ll.

The supply or suction pipes b are opened and closed by the valvesf f insuch a way as 1 when compressed air has been admitted from the secondair-cylinder, F, into the upper part of the diaphragm M, the same willbebrought downward, and the thereto-attached rod 1, operating on thetwo-arm lever 2', will shift the valve-stem K in the direction of arrow,as shown in the drawing, Fig. 1, in which case communication will beshut off between airchamber G and suction-hose b b.

In the upward motion of the piston of cylinder F, air is admitted to thelower portion of the diaphragm M, the rod l is pushed upward, thevalve-stem K shifted in the opposite direction, and the valves f fopened.

Whenever the piston of cylinder B has performed its upward motion, and avacuum created in the air-chamber G, and a unit of quantity. of graintransferred into the same, the next downstroke of both pistons ofcylinder B and F will operate to discharge the grain in such a mannerthat, compressed -air from cylinder F entering through pipe m, thediaphragm M shall close valves f f, as described above, and opendiaphragm-valve 0, passing through the same into pipe 19, and enteringthe lower part of diaphragm N, exhausting through vents o c to pushupward the rod 1", and, by

means of the two-arm lever Sand circular connectingrod t, opens theexhaust-valve c 0,

through whichoperation the grain in the chamber G accumulated will, byits own gravity, discharge into funnel d.

.per portion of diaphragm N, push rod 1' down ward, and consequentlyclose valves 0 c. It will open diaphragm-valve 0, and enter, throughpipe 19, the lower part of diaphragm M, open the supply-valves f f, andexhaust through vents c o. I

The position of cranks O and E is such a one that crank E shall beslightly in advance of crank G, in order that the compressed airadmitted from cylinder F, either through pipe m or it, shall haveperformed-the duty of opening and closing valves ff and c c, as the casemay be before a vacuum is performed through the'upward stroke of pistonof cylinder B. I I

The suction-hose b b, leading from the top .of air-chamberG to the placefrom where the grain or corn shall be elevated, is provided on its lowerportion with a nozzle, 20, as shown in Fig. 5, having a number ofopenings to admit the easy entrance of the grain into the pipe I) 1).

Instead of operating the valves 0 c and f fby means of diaphragms,actuated .upon through compressed air from cylinders, adirect action I rfrom the upand downward movement of piston-rod G, as illustrated in Fig.7, may be used in such ;a manner as that a guide, a. a, being firmlyconnected to C, will operate the continuation of valve-stems f and t.This guide a a has three vertical and two inclined sections, allconnected with each other, forming one uninterrupted line, but broken inthe direction of its section.

Theends of valve-stems f and t have an opening of slightly largerdimensions than the diameter of said guide a a, which is allowed to passthrough the same. A downward movement of piston-rod G will slidesidewise both valve-stems and open and close the valves whenever theinclined section of a 60 passes through their end openings. During thetime that the vertical section of a a passes through purposes as it maybe adapted for, such as.

elevating quicksand, or mud, or other substances.

We claim- 1.- The arrangement of the apparatus for the elevation,measuring, and weighing of grain, or other similar substances, by thecreation of a vacuum, as herein set forth. I

2. The arrangement for the automatically opening and closing of valvesff and c c by means of diaphragms actuated upon by com pressed air, asand for the purpose herein described.

' 3. In combination, with each other, the diaphragm M, diaphragm N,cylinder F, valves f f and 0 c, and service-pipes m and n, operated bycompressed air, as shown and described.

4. The arrangement of the registering apparatus K, for the purpose ofweighing, and measuring'the elevated material, as herein set forth. l

The inner air-chamber, G, the outer, G,

' the spring I,, rubber cloth'g g, and suction- .hose 1) b, incombination with registering apparatus K, as and for the purposehereinset forth. 4

6. Thearrangement of cylinder B, pipe H, and air chamber G, andsuction-hose b b,- for the purpose of alternating, receiving, anddischarging-the elevated material, as herein set forth. 1

7. The guide a a, valve-stems t and f, and air-chamber G=,=inconnectionwit-h pi-ston-rod C, as and for the purpose herein described.

v In. witnes'swhereof we have hereunto set our names in the presence oftwo witnesses.

WM. THOMAS SMITH. ERNESTABSHAGEN.

Witnesses:

MATTHEW COOPER, I. G. BAINBRIDGE.

